


when the levee breaks

by wildmachinery



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Creepy Force Avatar Luke Is The Best Luke, Domesticity, Found Family, Lira San, M/M, Surprise Guests - Freeform, force-sensitive Kallus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23994043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildmachinery/pseuds/wildmachinery
Summary: “A sensitivity to the Force doesn’t just come out of nowhere,” he says. “It’s something that you’re born with."
Relationships: Alexsandr Kallus/Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios
Comments: 54
Kudos: 169
Collections: Kalluzeb appreciation week 2020.





	1. Chapter 1

Zeb takes off running as soon as he hears Chira’s shriek and Alexsandr’s pained cry, skidding on dry leaves as he rounds the corner of the house. His eyes widen; Chira is floating in midair under the tallest tree, the one she’s been told not to climb. Alex is on his knees, his arms raised as if he’s holding up an impossibly heavy weight. Blood is streaming from his nose. “Zeb,” he grinds out, jaw clenched. “Please. Catch her. I can’t-”

Chira drops another meter, lets out a hitched, terrified sob. Zeb shakes himself off and runs to them. As soon as he’s positioned under her, Alex drops his hands with a sound like all the air has been knocked out of him, and Zeb catches Chira neatly in his arms. He squeezes her tight as she starts to cry in earnest. “Papa, I’m sorry,” she gets out between sobs.

“It’s all right, darling,” he soothes, “you’re safe now. No need to cry.” He turns to Alex in a daze of relief that turns in a heartbeat to icy dread; Alex is collapsed on his side like one of Chira’s dolls, tossed aside. “Ashla,” he whispers. “What.”

“Batya!” Chira cries. She wriggles frantically in his arms; he puts her gently down and drops to Alex’s side. He’s breathing, shallow, eyes shut tight and shifting back and forth beneath the lids as if he’s dreaming. His nose has stopped bleeding, but his face looks gruesome, blood all over his mouth and down his chin and on Zeb’s hand as he cups his cheek. “Papa, is he okay?”

“Chira, darling, I need you to run inside and call the doctor, quick as you can, all right?” She nods, still looking terrified; his heart clenches in his chest. “Good girl. Go on, now.” She takes off running for the house. He slides his hands beneath Alex and lifts him as smoothly as he can, tucking him against his chest. “Aleksya,” he murmurs. “Wake up. Aleksya.” Alex doesn’t move or make a sound. There are blades of dried grass in his hair. His eyes are still closed and dreaming, his breath still slow and shallow. Wherever he is, he’s far away.

“What the _fuck,_ ” Zeb says, and _means_ it.

#

The doctor has been and gone. Alex is lying still and quiet in their bed; Zeb had cleaned the blood from his face himself. There’s nothing wrong with Alex and nothing to be done, the doctor had said; just let him sleep and check in the next morning. Zeb hadn’t mentioned his sudden attack of telekinesis, because how do you even bring up something like that?

Zeb is sitting now in a chair by the bed with Chira in his lap, reading her a much-loved story they both know by heart. Their eyes flick continuously back and forth between the book and the bed. She nervously clings to him with hands and feet. “Papa,” she whispers at the end of the chapter. “Will Batya be all right?”

He’d better be; Zeb doesn’t want to imagine anything else. “I’m sure he will be, kit. The doctor said he just needs to sleep.” He squeezes her a bit, comfortingly; she’s having trouble keeping her eyes open. “It looks like that’s what you need, too.”

She yawns and ignores him. “How did he make me float like that? You said Uncle Kanan and Uncle Ezra could do things like that. Is Batya a Jedi, too?”

“Ashla forbid,” he says without thinking.

Chira’s face falls a little. “Is he a _Sith_?” she asks, distressed.

Zeb groans. “No, darling. He’s not either one. We’ll figure it out when he wakes up, all right?” She nods, still looking worried, and yawns again so hugely he can see all her little fangs. A wave of helpless affection rolls through him. “Time for bed, you. Brush your teeth and then lights off, no reading under the covers. I’ll come check on you in a bit.”

“What about Batya?” she asks, clambering down to the floor.

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Zeb says. “Bed, now, go.”

She huffs and leaves. A minute later, he hears the sink turn on in the ‘fresher, and the little splashing noises of teeth being brushed and face being washed. She pokes her head around the doorframe. “Papa, I forgot to say good night.”

Zeb smiles and holds out his arms. “Come here, then.” He rubs his cheek against hers and gives her a squeeze. “Good night, my love.”

“Good night, Papa.” She looks a little longingly at Alex. “Can I…”

“Can’t hurt,” Zeb says.

Chira climbs carefully onto the bed. She dips her head down to rub her cheek against Alex’s, just once and so gently Zeb’s heart clenches again. He wipes at his eyes; he’s sentimental tonight. “Good night, Batya,” she whispers, and climbs down again.

Zeb drops a kiss on the top of her head. Her fur is still fine and baby-soft. “Off with you, now.” She leaves, with not a few looks back. Zeb settles back in his chair, crossing his arms and watching Alex’s chest rising and falling, steady, through narrowed eyes. He’s exhausted, and all he can do now is wait for Alex.

He hates waiting.

#

A small distressed sound from the bed startles him out of his half-doze. The sky outside the window is still black. “Alex,” he says, and moves to sit on the edge of the bed.

Alex sighs again as Zeb touches his cheek. “Chira,” he murmurs. “Zeb.” He doesn’t open his eyes.

“I’m here, sweetheart,” Zeb tells him.

Alex turns his cheek into Zeb’s hand. “Chira. She’s having a nightmare.” He lifts his hand to circle Zeb’s wrist. “You should go to her.”

“Are you karking kidding me right now,” Zeb demands. Alex’s grip loosens and his hand drops back to the bed; his breathing settles back into sleep. Zeb glares at him resentfully. “Kark!”

#

Infuriatingly, Chira _is_ having a nightmare when Zeb goes to check on her, heartbreaking little whimpers breaking out of her as she tosses and turns. Zeb sits and soothes her, and she calms without waking. As soon as she’s quiet, he goes back to where Alex is still sleeping and sits again on the edge of the bed. “Aleksya,” he says, and shakes Alex’s shoulder gently. “Alex! Wake up, you lazy loth-cat.”

Alex groans and opens his eyes a slit. “Kriff,” he rasps, and swallows. “My head is pounding. What happened?”

“You don’t remember?!” Zeb squawks. His eyes widen and he listens fearfully for noises from Chira’s room. After a few moments of silence, he turns back to Alex, who is rubbing his temples gingerly. Zeb shoves gently at his hands until he lowers them, then takes over for him. Alex sighs contentedly, his eyes slipping closed. “Hey, don’t you fall asleep on me again,” Zeb says. “What do you remember?”

“Chira was climbing that damned tree,” Alex murmurs. His eyes shoot open. “Kriff, she fell out of the tree! Is she all right? Zeb!”

“She’s fine,” Zeb hushes him, “she’s asleep. Don’t wake her up. You caught her, remember? Then I caught her.” He strokes his claws through Alex’s sleep-rumpled hair. “We need to talk about that, by the way.”

“That kriffing tree,” Alex says, relaxing back into the pillows. “We’ve told her a thousand times not to climb too high, and she was right at the top.”

“Stubborn,” Zeb says. “She gets it from you.”

Alex huffs indignantly. “Reckless,” he retorts. “She gets that from you.” Zeb laughs and hands him the bottle of water from the night table. “Oh, love of my life,” Alex sighs rapturously, and downs half of it in one long swallow.

Zeb chuckles. “Are you talking to me or the water?” he asks.

“Hm, both,” Alex says, and looks at Zeb seriously. “Zeb. Did that really happen?”

“Yes,” Zeb says. “You stopped her falling. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it looked like Jedi magic.” He watches Alex’s face carefully.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Alex snaps. Zeb doesn’t say anything, and Alex’s face crumples. “I was so scared,” he whispers. “She was falling and we were so scared, I don’t know what happened, but I knew I could catch her, somehow, and I did.” He looks as terrified as he had by the tree.

Zeb pulls him trembling into his arms. “Aleksya,” he murmurs. “You were amazing, you saved her.” He kisses his forehead, rubs their cheeks together. “We’ll figure it out together.”

Alex curls around Zeb like he’s trying to climb inside him, burying his face in Zeb’s neck. “I was dreaming,” he says, muffled, and shudders all over. “Stay with me?”

“Of course,” Zeb says, and lies down with him.

#

When Zeb wakes up, the sky is just beginning to lighten, and Alex is still asleep. His face is creased into a frown, his eyes squeezed tight shut. Zeb strokes his arm and side until he settles, then carefully disentangles himself and gets up. He makes himself a cup of strong caf and does what he should have done yesterday.

He contacts Hera.

#

Zeb is still on the comm when Alex comes into the kitchen, bleary-eyed, with Chira on his hip. She’s clinging to him so tightly Zeb is surprised he can breathe. “Good morning, Hera,” he says politely to her holo-figure, and glares half-heartedly at Zeb like he knows what they’ve been talking about.

“Caf’s in the pot,” Zeb tells him, as Chira shrieks, “Auntie Hera!” and wriggles out of Alex’s hold. Alex sighs and presses a quick kiss to Zeb’s temple on his way to the counter. Zeb smiles after him.

“Hello, my sweet,” Hera says to Chira. “Your papa told me that Batya made you fly yesterday.”

“Yeah, I fell out of the big tree and he caught me,” Chira tells her, nonchalant, then asks hopefully, “Is Jacen there? Can I talk to him?”

Hera laughs. “Well, I think your papa and I have said all we need to, right?

Zeb nods to her. “Thanks, Hera.”

“Of course,” she says. “Give Alex my love and tell him I’m here if he wants to talk. I’ll go get Jacen.” Chira takes over Zeb’s seat in front of the holo as he gets up.

Alex is standing at the counter, stirring sweetener into his caf; Zeb slides his arms around his waist and rubs their cheeks together absently. “How’s the head?”

Alex takes a deep swallow of caf as Jacen appears on the holo; he and Chira immediately burst into excited chatter. “Better this morning. I took the pills you left when I woke up.” He leans back against Zeb.

“Do you mind that I called her?” Zeb asks quietly.

Alex is silent for a moment. “No,” he says, finally. “She’s family. I just … I don’t know.”

“You just don’t like ever admitting that there’s anything you can’t handle yourself,” Zeb says, teasing.

Alex huffs out an irritated breath. “I ask for help when I need it,” he says waspishly.

“Aleksya,” Zeb murmurs. “We need it.”

Alex drops his head and rubs at his neck. “I know,” he says. Zeb hears the unspoken, _That doesn’t mean I have to like it_ , and hugs him a little tighter.

“Hera was always better at networking than I was. She’s going to get in touch with General Skywalker-”

Alex groans. “Oh, no.”

Zeb laughs. “I know you think he’s creepy,” he says indulgently, “but he’s the only Jedi we’ve got until Ahsoka and Sabine find Ezra. He can at least, I don’t know, look at your Force aura or something. Maybe see what’s going on.”

“I don’t want him looking at my aura,” Alex grumbles petulantly.

“You’ve only met him once,” Zeb says. “Maybe he’s not so bad.”

“Ugh,” Alex says.

#

Skywalker is there within the week.

He is polite and kind and undeniably creepy. There’s something indescribably _old_ about him, and the Force rests in him like a wave at its crest, waiting to crash down. Even Zeb can feel it, and he’s about as Force-sensitive as a rock; he’s not surprised anymore that Alex finds the man off-putting. It’s hard to remember that he’s not yet thirty. Zeb looks at him sometimes and misses Kanan and Ezra with a fierce, painful ache.

Chira is enraptured by him, of course. She's too young to be put off by his inscrutability, and she's been raised on stories about her Jedi uncles. She wants to know _everything_ , and to Skywalker's credit, he's patient and accommodating with her wide-eyed fascination. 

“‘The Force is flowing again’?” Zeb mutters to Alex. “What the kriff does that even mean?” 

“How should I know, it was your idea to bring him here,” Alex mutters back, smiling brightly at Chira as she waves to him. Skywalker-Please-Call-Me-Luke is telling her about his time in the swamps of Dagobah with Master Yoda; she's never going to let him leave Lira San at this rate. “Something about restoring balance with the destruction of the Sith, which honestly makes no sense to me; how can there be balance with only one side?” He wrinkles his nose. “Not that I’m complaining, mind. The Empire was becoming rather troublesome.”

Zeb chuckles and puts his arm around Alex’s shoulders, tugging him closer. “Maybe this explains why you got so close to catching us so many times, back in the old days,” he teases. “You could sense what we were going to do before we did it.”

Alex bristles like an angry loth-cat. “Excuse me, I came so close to catching you because I am very smart and I was very good at my job,” he says indignantly. “The Force had nothing to do with it.” Zeb laughs outright then, and tightens his grip. Alex huffs and shoves at him unconvincingly.

“Papa,” Chira says disapprovingly from where she’s popped up in front of them, “stop crushing Batya, please. Luke wants to talk to him.”

“Yes,” Alex wheezes, “listen to your daughter.” He takes a deep breath when Zeb lets go. “I think my ribs are broken.”

“So dramatic,” Zeb says, and eyes Skywalker. “Want me to come with you?”

Alex raises his eyebrows, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “To the garden? Yes, it is very dangerous territory. A bodyguard might be just the ticket.”

“All right, enough of your backchat,” Zeb says grumpily, and scoops Chira up.

Alex smiles up at him. “I’ll be all right.” He stands, and starts making his way unenthusiastically to the corner of the garden where Skywalker is sitting. “Though I would appreciate a rescue in time for dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out longer than I was expecting and I wanted to get at least something in on the date. The rest should be up in a few days. Also, I'm a Caps fan and that's why this space dad is called [Batya](https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2015/05/05/evgeny-kuznetsovs-nickname-for-brooks-orpik-batya/).


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Alex lies tense against Zeb’s side in the dark. “He wants to re-establish the Jedi Order.” 

“And what does that have to do with you?” Zeb asks, rubbing his back in slow circles.

“Nothing,” Alex says, low and fierce. “Nothing. I’m not-” He breaks off and clenches his jaw.

Not what, Zeb thinks. A Jedi? Leaving? “Aleksya,” he murmurs. He can’t think of what else to say. 

It takes them both a long time to fall asleep.

#

Zeb tries to stay far enough away from Alex’s sessions with Skywalker that he won’t overhear, but he can still see when Alex springs to his feet, fists clenched by his side. His face is cold with fury, and as Zeb gets closer he hears him saying savagely, “I don’t want any part of this, d’you hear? I’m done,” glaring down at Skywalker.

“You can’t keep denying this part of yourself, Alexsandr,” Skywalker says, gazing up at him with what looks like real worry on his face. “If you try to close it off again, you’ll end up tearing yourself apart.”

“It’s worked pretty well so far,” Alex spits, and immediately looks as though he regrets saying anything. Zeb can feel his own eyes widening in shock.

“Alexsandr, I understand-,” Skywalker begins.

“You understand nothing,” Alex hisses. “I’m finished. No more.” He turns on his heel and walks stiffly away, towards the forest. He doesn’t look at Zeb as he passes.

“What the hell,” Zeb asks Skywalker, anger beginning to bubble up inside him.

Skywalker sighs. “I’m not sure I should be the one talking to you about this.”

“No,” Zeb says, “he needs time.” He settles himself cross-legged on the grass in front of Skywalker. “So you’re the one who’s going to tell me what’s got him so worked up.”

Skywalker turns his fathomless gaze directly into Zeb’s eyes. If he’s trying to intimidate him, it’s not going to work; Zeb’s been staring people down since before Skywalker was a twinkle in his mother’s eye. He holds his gaze without blinking, tilting his head a little in challenge.

Skywalker sighs again in defeat. “A sensitivity to the Force doesn’t just come out of nowhere,” he says. “It’s something that you’re born with. Alexsandr has always had,” he pauses, as if trying to find the right words, “a channel, of sorts, to the Force. A relatively narrow channel, figuratively speaking, but a channel nonetheless. But for one reason or another, he’s blocked that channel, and kept it blocked.”

“Why?” Zeb asks, then kicks himself; he can imagine exactly why.

Skywalker shrugs a little. “Confusion,” he says. “Fear. Guilt. You’d have to ask him for a more specific answer. But the only reason he’s been able to do this for so long is because the Force has been blocked as well. Unbalanced. But now.” He tilts his head a little.

“The Force is flowing again,” Zeb says, curling his lip in irritation.

“Exactly. It’s been building up against the block Alexsandr had placed, and the incident with your daughter was the catalyst it needed to break through. The channel is clear. He won’t be able to block it again, no matter how hard he tries.”

“Let me guess,” Zeb says. “He’s been trying.”

Skywalker huffs a little laugh. “You know him well.”

“He is my husband,” Zeb says fondly. “Stubborn as a bantha once he gets himself planted.” He lets the smile drop off his face as he looks at Skywalker. “I am, too.”

Skywalker clicks his tongue, annoyed. It’s the most emotion Zeb’s seen out of him since he’s been here, and it’s oddly charming. “Why are you both convinced I’m going to spirit him away somehow? I mentioned that I want to rebuild the Order _once_ , because I was trying to make conversation. It wasn’t a hint!”

“Hm,” Zeb says, and narrows his eyes. “Maybe you should try telling him that.” He turns to leave. “Chira’s spending the night at a friend’s, and I’m off to find Alex,” he calls over his shoulder. “You’ll have to fend for yourself if you want dinner; you know where the kitchen is.”

#

It's full dark before Zeb finds him, huddled away beneath a tree by the stream. The moons are bright enough that he's able to see clearly, their light making Alex’s pale hair glow like a beacon. “There you are,” Zeb says.

Alex squints up at him; his eyes aren’t much good for seeing in the dark. “Hello, you,” he mumbles. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s fine,” Zeb says, hunkering down next to him. They sit in silence for a bit, listening to the rush and burble of the stream, their shoulders pressed together, until Alex clears his throat.

“Sorry for running off,” he says, not sounding particularly sorry about it.

“S’alright,” Zeb says with a shrug. “Skywalker just has that effect on people, I guess.” He’s relieved to hear Alex chuckle at that. “I’m glad I found you before you started wandering around in the dark and fell into the stream.”

“I know the way home,” Alex says, and sighs. “He’s … not wrong. As much as I don’t want to admit it.”

Zeb snorts. “He talks a lot of mystical poodoo, is what he does.” He shoves gently against Alex’s shoulder. “But when you cut through all that, it does sound like you’re in a bit of a state.”

Alex huffs out a laugh. ”You could say that.” He sobers, going tense against Zeb. “I dream every night,” he murmurs. “It feels like I’m drowning, and it doesn’t stop when I wake up.” He shudders. “It’s never felt like this before.”

Zeb grasps his hand, thumb stroking over his knuckles. Alex squeezes back, bruisingly tight. “Tell me,” Zeb says, soft, as if he's coaxing a frightened animal. 

“When I was young, my mother dropped a jug and I stopped it from breaking,” Alex says, sounding almost hypnotized. “She was furious. I could feel it, her anger and her fear; the Jedi were beginning to fall out of favor among my parent’s set, and she was terrified that the Order would take me if they found out, terrified of what my father would do. I worked out the why of it later, of course. I was too young to understand then. All I knew was that I loved her, and I had done something that made her angry and scared. I cried, and she told me I could never do anything like that ever again. It was my first memory.”

Zeb listens, lost for words. Alex is still gripping his hand, still talking in that soft, dazed voice. “Later, the Empire made it quite clear that they would not tolerate anything like what I had done, what I was. The Jedi were all gone. I had been hiding it for so long, I had almost forgotten it had ever happened. It was … like a bad dream.” He swallows hard. “And now I can’t stop dreaming.”

Zeb gathers him into his arms. “Aleksya,” he murmurs. Alex leans into him, dropping his head to Zeb’s shoulder. He’s almost panting, short, ragged breaths. Zeb rubs his back, steady, trying to soothe him. “Alex. Breathe, sweetheart. No one’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. No one’s taking you anywhere. Not without me.” Alex puts his arms around Zeb’s waist, clinging tightly. “I love you, darling; this is just another part of you. It’s all right. You’re safe.”

He curls a hand around the nape of Alex’s neck and waits for his breathing to steady. “The way I see it,” he says, “you’ve only ever used this power to help. You saved our daughter’s life. It can’t be all bad, eh?”

Alex grumbles wordlessly and nuzzles Zeb’s throat. “I still don’t like it,” he says crossly.

Zeb smiles. “I know you don’t.” He tightens his hand on Alex’s neck and shakes him gently. “Want me to carry you home?”

“No,” Alex says. “Maybe. Is Chira still with Jarrani?”

“She's having a sleepover with the sprogs,” Zeb says. “It’s just you and me tonight.”

“I don’t want to sleep,” Alex says.

“I think I can help you with that,” Zeb tells him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was only going to be two chapters but it just keeps coming. We'll get there!


	3. Chapter 3

“The dreams will become less vivid in time,” Skywalker tells them the next morning. The skin under Alex’s eyes is bruised dark with exhaustion; he’s listing slightly into Zeb and clutching his mug of caf like a lifeline. “Think of it as having to calibrate your system to accept this new input. And I know you don’t want to hear this,” he says bluntly, “but once you accept that this is a permanent change, everything will become much easier.”

“You’ve got a hell of a bedside manner, General,” Zeb says as Alex frowns.

Skywalker just shrugs. “I tried being nice; didn’t work. Figured you might prefer a new approach.”

Alex actually chuckles at that. Zeb eyes him, surprised. “You might not be wrong, at that,” Alex says, a tired rasp in his voice.

Skywalker grins, quick and wide. It’s the first time Zeb’s seen him look his age since he got here. It’s nice to see him drop the imperturbable Jedi master act; Zeb might actually end up liking him by the end of this if he keeps it up. 

"I … must apologize, General," Alex says carefully. "I know you're here to help me, and I also know I'm not the easiest man to teach. I do thank you for it, but if you don't mind, I'd like to take a day or two to try and come to grips with this myself." 

"Take all the time you need, Alexsander," Skywalker says. "Just do one thing for me." 

"What's that?" Alex asks. 

"Please," Skywalker says, "just call me Luke." He winces. “General Skywalker was my father.”

#

Zeb tries to let Alex be for the next few days, as much as he can. He takes Chira to school, over her protests - she wants to hear more of Luke’s stories - and teaches his classes, and takes her home. Alex cooks, and bakes too much bread, and walks along the stream. He sleeps more each night, though still fitfully. Luke eats with them and spends the rest of his time either tinkering with his R2 unit or meditating, seeming content to let the grass grow around him. Then Hera calls.

“Zeb,” she says, looking almost suspiciously happy. “I’m sending you a package. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

“What kind of package,” he asks, bemused.

She laughs, a bit wild around the eyes. He does love to see her laugh. “It’s a surprise!” she says. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it.”

“All right,” he says, smiling at her helplessly. “I trust you.”

#

It’s not a surprise when he hears the ship landing, and he heads outside with Alex and Chira in tow. Alex tilts his head as it lands, looking surprised. “I know that ship,” he says.

“Me, too,” Zeb says, and starts walking faster as the ramp extends with a hiss. “Sabine!” he yells, and starts running.

“Zeb!” she cries, and throws herself into his arms. He spins her around, laughing madly. It’s so good to see her; his little sister.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, setting her down.

“Oh, that’s nice.” She takes off her helmet and tucks it under her arm, grinning at him. Her hair has grown out from when he’d last seen her, dyed a brilliant purple and shading to teal at the tips. “I need an excuse to come and meet my niece?”

Alex comes up next to him, holding Chira’s hand. Her eyes are as big as dinner plates. “Hello, Miss Wren,” Alex says fondly. “Chira, this is your Auntie Sabine.”

Sabine smiles at Alex and sinks down to one knee so she can look Chira in the eye. “It’s good to finally meet you, ad’ika,” she says, holding her hand out.

Chira gives a tiny squeak and reaches her own hand out. Sabine grips her forearm gently in a Mandalorian handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Auntie,” Chira says, looking star-struck.

Sabine chuckles and stands back up. “You’ve gotten so big!” she tells Chira. “The only holos I have of you are from when you were a tiny little kit.” Chira laughs delightedly.

“So, are you and Ahsoka the surprise Hera was sending me?” Zeb says, slinging an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. “Unless you stole her ship out from under her and it's just you.” 

She lets out a little _oof_ and socks him in the shoulder. “Nah, it’s not us,” she says, and bounces a little on her toes like an excited kid. “Ahsoka’s offloading it now.”

“What’s with all the secrecy?” Zeb asks, then looks up at the sound of footsteps on the ramp; Ahsoka, and- it can’t be. “Karabast,” he gasps, his eyes going wide.

Ezra smiles. “Hey, Zeb,” he says.

#

It takes Zeb a good while to let Ezra go, no matter how much Ezra complains that Zeb is crushing him. He would think he was dreaming, except he can see how much Ezra has grown; whenever he dreams of Lothal, Ezra is still the same kid he was when he left them behind.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” he growls, and punches Ezra lovingly in the shoulder.

“Oh, that’s a nice welcome back,” Ezra laughs, rubbing the sore spot. He has a new, faded scar on his face that looks like it barely missed his eye. “You should have trusted Sabine and Ahsoka.”

“I do trust them, you little brat, they’ve been looking for you for years,” Zeb says. “Where the kriff were you?”

“Far away,” Ezra says, and his eyes go horribly blank for a second before his smile snaps back into place. “Maybe I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

Zeb reaches out and grips his upper arms. “I’m so glad you’re back, kid.” He can feel tears springing to his eyes. He shakes Ezra, very gently. “I missed you so much.”

“Hey, now,” Ezra says; his eyes look a little wet, too. “I missed you, too, big guy.” He sniffs, then laughs. “Married with a kid, huh? Never thought I’d see the day.” He turns to Alex and winks. “Hey, Captain.”

“Hello, Jabba,” Alex says with a slightly damp smile. “It’s so very good to see you again.”

“I wish you'd stop calling me that,” Ezra grumbles good-naturedly.

Alex chuckles. “Call me Alex, then.” 

“Alex, huh? I like it.” Ezra rubs the back of his neck. “Gotta say, retirement suits you. Although you seem a little bit more,” he wiggles his fingers in what Zeb thinks is supposed to be a mystical way, “in tune with the Force than you were the last time I saw you.” 

“Ugh,” Alex says in agreement. “Long story. Tell you over lunch?” 

“Lunch sounds amazing,” Ezra says longingly. Zeb had noticed that he seems a bit too skinny for his new height. No matter; they can feed him up while he’s here. 

“And we can introduce you to our guest,” Zeb says with a smirk. Alex elbows him in the side. “What?” 

“Don't be a troublemaker, darling,” Alex murmurs. He sounds more like himself than he has in a while. 

Zeb puts a hand over his heart and affects an injured look. “Me? I would never.” 

Ezra snorts. “Sure, Zeb. Keep your secret, but first I need to meet this lovely young lady.” He kneels in front of Chira, just as Sabine had, and gives her his most winning smile. Chira looks as though she's about to expire from sheer excitement and joy. “I'm Ezra Bridger. You must be Chira; your Auntie Sabine has told me all about you.”

Chira squeaks. “Uncle Ezra!” She looks up at Zeb as if for confirmation; he nods back. She turns her attention back to Ezra, fascinated, and it looks like Luke might be getting some competition for favorite storyteller. “It's very nice to meet you, Uncle,” she says politely, and then excitedly, “Will you tell me about the time you and Papa stole a TIE fighter?” 

Ezra bursts out laughing. “It would be my pleasure, niece.” He wipes tears from his eyes. “I love that story.”

“Lunch first, if you please,” Alex says. “And Chira, you know the rule, schoolwork before storytime.”

She huffs out a quiet whine of “Batyaaa.”

“I know, it's terribly unfair,” Alex says drily. “But remember our deal: when you have children of your own, you can let them do whatever they want.”

“And I _will_ ,” Chira promises darkly. Zeb tries not to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

“Oh, look,” Ezra says, without a trace of surprise, when he sees Luke. “The twin suns.” He sticks his hand out to shake. Luke takes it, looking like he’s been hit over the head. “I met your first master once, a long time ago. He was a wise man.”

Luke’s eyes go wide and suspiciously shiny. “He was. It’s good to meet you, Ezra Bridger.”

Zeb huffs. “Kriffing Jedi. Can’t have any fun.” He’d been looking forward to their double-takes. It’s always a disappointment when they use the Force to cheat him out of his entertainment.

They both turn to look at him. “I know your tricks,” Ezra says with a grin. “You can’t surprise me anymore.” Alex laughs.

“I thought I was the last one,” Luke says, turning back to Ezra. He looks like he’s trying not to cry.

Ezra pats his shoulder awkwardly. “We’re still kind of an endangered species, but no,” he says. “Not the last.” Luke lets out a shuddering breath and drops his eyes.

Ahsoka steps forward, face stern and imposing. Zeb had forgotten how silently she could move. “Luke Skywalker,” she says. Luke jerks to face her. “I am Ahsoka Tano.” She inclines her head, and visibly softens. “You look so much like your father.” She reaches out and puts her hand on his shoulder.

Luke bursts into tears.

#

“Just because you have a connection to the Force,” Ezra says, his mouth full of bread and soft cheese, “doesn’t mean you have to be a Jedi.” He takes a gulp of mallus juice. He’s eating like he hasn’t seen food in years; Zeb is torn between worry and disgusted fascination.

“That’s … not what Luke said,” Alex says, his eyes narrowing.

Ezra snorts. “What the hell makes him the expert?”

Luke makes a protesting noise. “I never said-”

Ezra flaps a hand at him as he chews. “Yeah, yeah.” He swallows. “Look, there are more ways of being a Force user than just Jedi or Sith, it’s not a binary. Besides, it’s not like Alex is the Chosen One over here,” he says mockingly, gesturing at Luke, who immediately gets a constipated look on his face. Zeb snickers. “He’s not that powerful, it’s not like he’s going to be conquering planets anytime soon. No offense,” he says, turning to Alex, “but you’d probably get a nosebleed if you tried to conquer anything bigger than a loaf of bread. This bread is really good, by the way.” He takes another enormous bite.

“Thank you,” Alex says, the corners of his mouth tipping up. “I made it myself, no bleeding at all.”

“You _bake_?!” Ezra gapes at him with a mouthful of half-chewed food. Zeb and Alex both wince. “Man, I really have been gone a long time.”

“Would you please swallow your food before you talk,” Zeb growls. “Our seven-year-old child has better table manners than you.”

Ezra rolls his eyes. “And Dad over here lecturing me about social graces.” He shakes his head sadly. “I’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

Sabine elbows him gently in the ribs; he turns and smiles at her. “You’ve got crumbs in your beard,” she says affectionately.

“I’m saving them for later,” he tells her, but swipes at his chin anyway.

Luke clears his throat. Ahsoka had taken him aside after introducing herself, and they had talked in the farthest corner of the garden, the soft honking sound of Luke blowing his nose drifting over to the house every once in a while. His eyes are still a bit red. “I’m sorry,” he says, looking a little lost, “but this is all so different from everything I’ve been taught.”

“I was very fond of Master Yoda,” Ahsoka murmurs, “but he always was a bit hidebound.” Luke’s eyes widen, as if she’s blasphemed. Ahsoka chuckles, a soft sad sound. “Adherence to dogma leads to stagnation,” she says gently. “The Order believed that following the Code was what placed them on the side of the light, but it blinded them to the possibility of their own destruction.” She drops her eyes to her folded hands, her face very still. “We can discuss this more later, if you’d like.”

“I would appreciate it,” Luke says quietly.

“The point is,” Ezra says to Alex, “there are shades of grey, not just black and white, good and evil. You can walk your own path, make your own code. Every day is a choice.” He grins and floats himself a jogan from the bowl. “We trust you to make the right ones, Fulcrum.”

#

“What do you think,” Alex asks him that night. He’s lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling like it holds the mysteries of the universe.

Zeb is sprawled on his belly with an arm slung across Alex’s waist, half-asleep. “About what,” he mumbles.

“About what Ezra said,” Alex says. “About it being a choice.”

Zeb opens his eyes and squints at Alex. “You know I don’t know the first thing about how the Force works,” he says. “But Ezra and Ahsoka definitely do, and I believe them.”

“But what if I get it wrong,” Alex says, his voice cracking. He clears his throat. “You of all people know I don't always make the best choices.” He closes his eyes. A tear slips out, tracks down his temple. “I’ve done terrible things, because I thought they were right.”

Zeb sighs and props himself up on his elbow. “Yeah, you’ve kriffed up big in the past,” he says bluntly. “Really big. I know it, you know it. But you changed, Alex.” He softens, squeezing Alex’s hip comfortingly. “You’re a good man now because you make good choices.”

Alex cracks his eyes open a slit and glares weakly up at him. “That’s what you always say,” he rasps.

“And I’m always right,” Zeb retorts. “I trust you to raise our daughter, sweetheart. I trust you with this, too.”

Alex hums, sounding unconvinced. Zeb leans down and kisses him, soft and insistent. Alex melts into it like he always does, clutching at Zeb’s arm, cupping his cheek. “I need you with me,” he murmurs against Zeb’s mouth. “Zeb. Promise me that you’ll always be here to yell at me when I kriff up.”

What an absolute idiot Alex is; as if Zeb would ever think of leaving him, this life with him that Zeb never thought he could have. Zeb smiles down at him helplessly, and rests their foreheads together. “Of course, Aleksya. Always.”

#

_Epilogue_

“When I worked in rebel intelligence,” Alex says, “I met a topographer named Mari Kosan. Do you know her?”

Luke turns from tossing his bag into the cockpit of his x-wing and frowns thoughtfully. “The name is familiar.”

“She fought with our unit on Endor,” Zeb says. “Good woman. Bloodthirsty. I liked her.”

Alex shakes his head at him with a smile. Ezra and Ahsoka and Luke have been teaching him meditation techniques, the four of them sitting cross-legged in a circle in the garden in silence for hours at a time. Zeb’s still not completely sure they were actually doing anything, but the dark circles under Alex’s eyes are almost gone; Zeb can overlook a lot of mystical Force nonsense for that. He smiles back at Alex, unrepentant.

Alex huffs at him quietly and turns back to Luke. “She travels for her work, but she’s based on Kashyyyk with her husband. She told me a story once, about when she was part of the attempted Partisan liberation there, about fourteen years before Yavin. A story about a boy with red hair and a lightsaber.”

“Ooh, exciting,” Ezra says gleefully. Luke just gapes at Alex like a fish. “What else did she say?”

“Oh, not much,” Alex says. He’s clearly enjoying this. “He hijacked an AT-AT, helped them free Wookie prisoners, climbed the Origin Tree. Killed an Inquisitor. She said he seemed like a very nice boy."

“Is he still alive?” Luke bursts out. “What’s his name?” 

“How should I know?” Alex says with cheerful malice. He’s so _mean_ ; it’s one of the things Zeb loves about him. “You’ll have to ask Mari for the details.”

Luke sputters something filthy-sounding in Huttese. “Well, kriff,” he says, still looking like someone’s clocked him over the head. “Guess I’m going to Kashyyyk.”

Alex, in his own understated way, looks absolutely delighted by his reaction. “Watch out for the spiders,” he says with a smirk. Zeb is suddenly overwhelmed by how much he adores him. He clutches at his chest, completely involuntarily; Alex sees and turns that smirk on him. It doesn’t help Zeb calm down at all.

Luke groans. “I’ll have to drag Chewie along with me,” he says gloomily. “My Shyriiwook is terrible.”

Ezra just laughs. “You’ll have to let us know what you find. It’s always nice to meet another Jedi.”

Luke goes very still for a moment. “You could come with me,” he says slowly, looking between Ezra and Ahsoka with that fathomless thousand-year gaze. “Both of you. We could search together.”

Ezra shakes his head and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We'll meet again,” he tells Luke, serious and sure. “But for now, I just want to go home. I’ve been gone a long time. I want to see what Lothal looks like with the Empire gone.”

“And I have a friend I've been missing,” Ahsoka says. “I need to see him. But Ezra is right, Luke. This isn’t the last time we’ll see each other.”

Luke drops his eyes and sighs, all that ancient power tucked suddenly away. Zeb hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath; he sidles over to Alex and slides a possessive arm around his waist. Alex starts and jerks his gaze away from the three of them. “Sorry,” he murmurs. “He’s just…”

“Creepy,” Zeb agrees under his breath. “He’s a good kid, but you weren’t entirely wrong about him.”

“I was going to say overwhelming,” Alex whispers, then grins sidelong at Zeb. "I like him, though. I'll have to thank Hera for sending him."

“You shouldn’t tease him so much, then,” Zeb says. “I thought I was supposed to be the troublemaker around here.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alex sniffs. “I was just passing along information I thought he would be interested in.”

Zeb laughs and pokes him in the side, where he knows Alex is ticklish. Alex lets out an involuntary giggle, then immediately looks mortified and slaps at Zeb’s hands.

“ _Papa_ ,” Chira says from behind them. She’s holding Sabine’s hand, and sounds long-suffering as only a child with embarrassing parents can. “Auntie, were they like this during the war, too?”

“Worse,” Sabine tells her. Zeb sticks his tongue out at her. Chira makes a face.

Alex laughs and scoops her up. “ _Batya_ ,” she complains, and wraps her arms around his neck.

“You hush,” Alex says fondly. “Soon you’ll be too big for me to pick you up at all.”

“I can’t wait,” she tells him, tightening her hold on him and shrieking with laughter as he pretends to drop her. “Batya,” she says seriously, and Alex settles her on his hip. “No one will tell me if you’re a Jedi now. They just say to ask you. So, are you a Jedi or a Sith?”

“Neither, darling,” Alex tells her, smiling slightly. “I’m just me.”

Chira looks intensely disappointed. “Boring,” she pronounces, and wriggles out of his arms to run to where their guests are talking. She’s been sulking ever since they told her that they all had to leave; Zeb will have to make sure she doesn’t stow away in Luke’s ship.

“What a rotten kit we have,” Zeb says sadly. Alex’s shoulders are shaking with silent laughter. “We should take her back to the shop and get a new one that isn’t so disrespectful.”

“Garazeb Orrelios,” Alex says sternly, “that is an awful thing to say.” He slides his hand into Zeb’s and laces their fingers together. “You know her warranty has already expired; it’s too late for exchanges.”

Zeb barks a laugh and squeezes his hand. “Missed our chance,” he chuckles. “I guess we’re stuck with her.” Alex grins at him, a quick flash, and leans up to kiss Zeb’s cheek. His hair and eyes glow golden in the morning sun. They both turn to watch as Ezra and Luke float a giggling Chira back and forth between them. “Could be worse.”

[end]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end! I meant for it to have plot but it just turned into soft domestic nonsense, oh well. Thanks for sticking around.
> 
> Yes, the epilogue has references to Fallen Order because Cal Kestis is the sweetest bean, and we ship Mari and Choyyssyk in this house. 
> 
> I shriek in the tags at wildmachinery on tungler.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts for Sunday, May 3, 2020: Force sensitive Kallus—adopting


End file.
